Health and Safety The Kingsway School

Health and Safety People who work with computers can suffer from health problems. Computer use has advanced so quickly that it is only recently that these problems have become apparent. There is legislation which covers use of computers in the Health and Safety at Work Act and also a European Directive.

Stress Rapid changes to the way an employee does their job can cause anxiety. New computer systems often result in jobs being lost. People worry about new ways of working. Skills gaps can develop which means people do not have the skills to be able to carry out their assigned tasks. People may fear losing personal contact with their colleagues. Today there is often too much data and people spend too much of their time analysing data rather than completing their job.. This can cause great anxiety.

Muscular and Joint Problems Repetitive Strain Injury This is caused by carrying out the same task over and over, people who use a keyboard a great deal can develop problems with their wrists and their fingers. Posture People who sit at a computer for long periods need to be very careful about how they sit. Poor posture can lead to back pain and prolonged sitting can lead to muscular strain and possibly circulatory problems. Remedies Take regular breaks and walk around Invest in ergonomically designed chairs. Ergonomic keyboards

Visual Problems Eye strain is a common complaint from working with computers. It can lead to head aches and eye discomfort. It can be caused by: some visual displays produce excessive glare flickering screens which can cause headaches monitors emitting electromagnetic radiation poor lighting. Remedies anti glare screens in front of the display monitors are manufactured to low radiation standards large monitors with clear screens are more comfortable to look at care given to choice of lighting in offices computers should be positioned carefully for comfort of use companies should arrange regular eye tests for employees

Safety Issues to the Public Computers are often in control of situations that are potentially hazardous to people. Aircraft depend on computers for navigation Air traffic control systems depend on computers Some aircraft are completely ‘fly by wire’, taking many activities away from the pilots. Failure of any of these systems could lead to extensive loss of life. Nuclear power stations are often controlled by computers and these are often placed under the control of more than one system to act as a backup.

Internet Resource Health and safety There are various health problems associated with the regular use of computers, and because of this employers must be aware of the regulations surrounding computer health and safety. Possible dangers and solutions Employer regulations General working environment Exam Tips Glossary Computer health and safety requires employers to provide the satisfactory equipment for their employees, Ergonomics is used to assist the equipment design process. Ergonomics is the science concerned with designing safe and comfortable machines for humans. This includes furniture design and the design of parts of the computer like keyboards.